CRUISE news: Sea Princess passengers were shrouded in darkness for 10 days as the ship prepared for a pirate attack, one traveller has claimed.

The Princess Cruises ship was making its round-the-world journey from Sydney when the holiday took a dark turn.

Australian woman Caroline Jasinski, who was on board as a speaker, revealed what happened when the 1900-passenger vessel passed through dangerous waters.

For 10 of the 104 days on the itinerary, the Sea Princess became a “ghost ship”, according to Caroline.

The media specialist told news.com.au: “Captain Gennaro Arma addressed the ship. He apologised for alarming passengers. However, the threat, he said, was real and the ship must be prepared for a pirate attack.”

“It was made very clear on the Sea Princess, very quickly, that this pirate threat was not something to be joked about.

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“Generally ships are kept for four to six months, but one ship was kept for 12 months.”

The traveller explained what life was like on board during those tense 10 days.

Lights were turned off from dusk until dawn, with no deck parties or late night outdoor bars allowed.

Curtains were drawn and shutters were closed throughout the ship as passengers prepared for the worst.

Passengers were sent back to their cabins to be counted, with advice to sit on the floor and hang on to hand rails should the boat have to quickly steer away from pirate boats.

Caroline said: “In the case of a real threat, those passengers in outside cabins were told to close and lock their balcony doors, then lock their entrance door to their cabin and take shelter in the corridors.

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